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Operation in Our Sites II Press Conference

Monday, November 29, 2010

The Attorney General announced that the Criminal Division, the Department of Homeland Security and nine U.S. AttorneysÂ offices from across the country obtained and executed seizure orders against 82 domain names during a sting known as ÂOperation in Our Sites IIÂ. The domain names involved had engaged in the sale and distribution of counterfeit goods and illegal copyrighted works.

Attorney General Holder at the podium and flanked by John Morton, Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Ron Machen, United States Attorney for the District of Columbia.

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The Attorney General today announced an important step in the Departmentâs ongoing efforts to protect the interests and safety of consumers, to ensure the strength of our markets, and to safeguard the intellectual property rights of innovators and entrepreneurs. Over the past few days, the Criminal Division, the Department of Homeland Security and nine U.S. Attorneysâ Offices from across the country obtained and executed seizure orders against 82 domain names of websites engaged in the sale and distribution of counterfeit goods and illegal copyrighted works.

During Â âOperation In Our Sites IIâ Â federal law enforcement agents made undercover purchases from a variety of online retailers suspected of selling counterfeit goods.Â As of this day âknown as âCyber Mondayâ and billed as the busiest online shopping day of the year â anyone attempting to access one of these websites using its domain name will find a banner notifying them that the websiteâs domain name has been seized by federal authorities.

Ron Machen, United States Attorney for the District of Columbia details some of the investigative work in the coordinated law enforcement effort known as âOperation In Our Sites IIâ that targeted online retailers of a

âMake no mistake: Intellectual property crimes are not victimless, and they are not risk-free.â

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The Attorney General continued, ÃÂThe theft of ideas and the sale of counterfeit goods threaten economic opportunities and financial stability, suppress innovation and destroy jobs. The Justice Department, with the help of our law enforcement partners, is changing the perception that these crimes are risk-free with enforcement actions like the one announced today.ÃÂ

John Morton, Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, shows reporters a sampling of the products confiscated through this effort.

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âThe sale of counterfeit U.S. brands on the Internet steals the creative work of others, costs our economy jobs and revenue and can threaten the health and safety of American consumers,â said ICE Director John Morton. âWe are dedicated to protecting the jobs, the income and the tax revenue that disappear when counterfeit goods are trafficked.â